The Budget Justice Coalition has expressed its deep concern that the Covid-19 economic relief package is far less than the promised R500-billion. For instance, only R2.9-billion of net additional funding is provided to the entire health sector to cope with the pandemic, while only R6-billion of the R100-billion promised for job protection and small businesses has actually been allocated this financial year.
Former president Jacob Zuma appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on 23 June for preliminary proceedings in the matter of his corruption trial. Zuma has evaded accountability for years, but it seems that he will finally have his day in court. The matter was postponed to 8 September 2020..
We remember the lives of refugees who have been displaced because of conflict and other disturbances in their countries. Some people who left their homes have died in their destination or hosting country after deadly xenophobic attacks.
Economic crime in South Africa is alive and well. According to PwC’s 2020 Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey, the percentage of economic crime incidents has decreased for the first time in 10 years – but the value of these incidents has doubled in the past two years, and the level of involvement of senior management has jumped by 14 percentage points since the 2018 survey.
Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu has blamed the alleged food parcel corruption incidents on uncoordinated food distribution efforts which are administered by different groups, including community-based and non-profit organisations.
Corruption Watch website editor Janine Erasmus writes about the impact the lockdown has had on struggling communities. She also addresses allegations of corrupt politicians and local councillors who are abusing the distribution of food parcels.
The struggle for young people of colour in South Africa is very much alive. But our struggle is much bigger than what the youth of 1976 fought for and yet the world expects us to do more, be more.
A whistle-blower from a community in Marikana, Rustenburg, in the North West, is in hiding after receiving threats following public complaints relating to food distribution, that he made against a ward councillor. His community, meanwhile, is learning the hard way the cost of being poor and not politically connected during the Covid-19 lockdown.
On 11 June the Constitutional Court handed down judgment in the case of New Nation Movement NPC and Others v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others. The ConCourt declared the Electoral Act to be unconstitutional to the extent that it requires adult citizens to be elected to the National Assembly and provincial legislatures only through membership of political parties. Parliament now has 24 months in which to amend the legislation accordingly.
Visit our GivenGain R20 for Change page and help us demand transparency in our systems, accountability in our leaders, and better empowerment and protection of whistle-blowers. By donating R20 a month, you’ll be supporting our work with communities across the country, helping them to know and access their rights and reduce the corruption that robs people of resources intended for their benefit.